5XÉçÇø

Baz began his backstage career at 5XÉçÇø, graduating with a BA in Theatre Studies in December of 2009. He worked with Great Lakes Theatre Festival in Cleveland, then moved to Santa Maria, California to work with the Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts in both Scenery and Properties. He moved to San Francisco, CA and spent a decade working with scenic and prop shops in the Bay Area, most notably Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the California Shakespeare Theater, the American Conservatory Theater, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and IATSE Local 16. His work with Berkeley Repertory Theatre has been seen on Broadway through Amélie: The Musical and Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.

Baz served as Properties Designer for various Bay Area Productions, most notably Caryl Churchill's Love and Information, the Inaugural production for the American Conservatory Theater's venue The Strand Theater in 2015. Baz also served as the staff Technical Director / Scene Shop Supervisor for California State University: East Bay in Hayward, California from 2014-2019. He loved working with a diverse group of students fulfilling the roles of builders and designers for the first time and was actively involved with teaching practical shop skills with wood, metal, and other materials, as well as safe working practices, having certifications in Theatrical Fall Protection and CalOSHA regulations.

During the pandemic, Baz attended Ohio University for an MFA in Technical Direction and a secondary in Properties. He graduated in 2022 and spent the following year with Cecil College on the Maryland/Delaware border as the resident Scenic/Properties Designer and Technical Director. He then found his way back to his home state with Kent State Trumbull as an Assistant Professor / Faculty Technical Director while also helping IATSE Local 101 on occasion. His professional portfolio can be viewed at www.bazwenger.com

Baz is a transgender male who uses he/him and they/them pronouns. He volunteers his time and money advocating for LGBT rights through various groups, both on-campus and off. He hopes to make the world a better place for the current and next generations of transgender people. He also enjoys games, hiking, camping, and kayaking.